BURG & CH Louis' Lunch in New Haven, Connecticut claims to be the birthplace of the burger. Louis’ has been in business 118 years, and still cooks patties in the original 1898 vertical cast-iron grills, which fourth-generation owner Jeff Lassen says locks in the flavor by cooking both sides at the same time. Served on toast rather than a bun, the burger can only be topped with cheese, tomato and onion (they’ve been known to kick you out if you ask for ketchup). Lassen says other condiments only detract from the taste of the beef, which is ground fresh every morning. “Do you want to taste what you’re eating or do you want to cover it up?” he states rather emphatically. No argument here. It’s safe to say we don’t have those types of restrictions down here, but on our Moore County great burger hunt, every chef we spoke with took as much pride in their burger creation as Lassen does in his century-old recipe. The burgers we highlight are by no means the only great burgers in town, they each simply offer a unique, and mouthwatering, take on an American classic.
12 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE June/July 2015